EDITOR'S BLOG
Much ado about salt
There
appears to be a media blitz to draw attention to ludicrous amounts of sodium in
our diet, an assault on salt if you will.
Aug. 13, 2009 – It’s so pervasive it almost feels like
trans-fats are temporarily passé. Which as an issue, I’m sure they’re not. But
consumers who automatically read the percentage of trans-fats on labels and
glazed over the rest are likely now going straight for the sodium content. I am
guilty as charged, in the grocery store anyway. When I eat out, I prefer not to
give much thought to my meal past the service, taste, smell and presentation.
The problem is that salt tastes really good, and fat is no slouch in the
flavour department either. Some amount of salt is necessary to life, and to
cooking.
Reducing the sodium on any item on your
menu is a clever marketing move at the moment. It’s definitely on consumer’s
minds. The difficult part is how to do it without sacrificing taste. People
expect full flavour in their pizza. The saltiness if likely half the reason
they crave it. People except it to have a salty zing. Which is good for the
pizza industry. Nobody likes being caught off guard by having to really
scrutinize the all the salt in canned and frozen foods only to find out it is
nearly impossible to eat any of it three times a day and stay within the
recommended daily intake. Pizza may be targeted as a high-sodium food, but it’s
not news to anyone so it’s tough to say how many might avoid pizza because they’re
watching their salt. That pizza craving is a mighty one.
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